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excluded Venegas for taking too long while switching machines. Venegas was furious, and several riders and pit personnel- including pit stew3.\"d Mike Whitsett - argued for him. But the referee would not hear it, and the argument became so intense that Whitsett wound up resigning his position on the spot. Eventually, Venegas took it all in stride. "He (the referee) blew the whistle and our guy started timing it," Venegas said. "We still had 40 seconds left." As if all this wasn't enough, Hamill rolled out with Ackroyd to contest the final team heat of the night. Going into the first tum, Hamill and Bobby Hedden made heavy contact, and Hamill - currently America's best hope for a World Ohampionship in the Grand Prix series lost control of his motorcycle coming off the corner and was thrown hard to the ground. Despite the severity of the impact, Hamill was up rather quickly, and he made the restart. On the second go, Hamill stayed on form to take the win and po t a 12-point maximum score for his team. Hedden trailed in second. Afterward, there were no hard feelings between the two. "That really scal"ed the shit out of me," Bobby Hedden said. "1 thought that I hurt him." "It was my fault though," Hamill said. "[ should have shut the throttle off, buLl just went for a gap that closed up before I . got there." The final points tally showed that the South had indeed bettered last year's point tally by two, taking the Civil War victory, 46-32. With the team riding complete, the program shifted to a regular, every-manfor-himself Scratch format to crown an event winner. Hamill and Ackroyd made it through in the first Scratch semi while Venegas and sole Northern hope Tommy Hedden joined them in the main via the second semi. Hedden would not disappoint. ''I'm pumped, and r want to win tonight," Hedden said. "1 know I've got good equipment. I've had nights where [ rode well and beat the guys up here, but these Southern California guys make it that much harder. I'don't know ...I'm finally realizing that it's time to go for it." In the main, the 21-year-old Hedden appeared to be moving before the tapes went up, and the crowd roared as he blasted into the lead while the field rounded the first tum with Hedden, Ackroyd and a slow-starting Venegas in tow. The Bieffe/OakIey /Flanders/Troy Lee Designs/Sledge-sponsored Hamill tailed Hedden for a lap and then blasted up the inside on the front straight, diving under Hedden in turn one to take the lead for good. The Peterjch Cycle West Coast .Muffler/Terry's Paint Shed/Mom and Dad-backed Hedden refused to give up, but there was no catching Hamill. At the fiTIjsh, Hamill nabbed the win over Hedden while Ackroyd took a surprise third place, holding off Venegas to the wire. "He (Tommy Hedden) was shredding," Hamill said. "British J,.eague promoters, look out for those Hedden brothers. A part from my fall, [ enjoyed the race. The track was good. [t had a lot of dirt on it. And these boys aren't just playI~ ing. I wouldn't mind doing it again." Gold Country Fairgrounds AUburn, California Results: July 14, 1995 TEAM: 1. South 46 (Billy Hamill 12. Steve Lucero 8, Charlie Venegas 8. Brad Oxley 7. Doug NicolS. Don Odom 4, Gary Ackroyd 2); 2. North 32 (Bobby Hedden 11. Jim Sisc:more 8, Tommy Hedden S. Bart Bast 4, Pat Linn 3. louis Kossuth I, john Houston Jr. 0). SCRATCH, 1. BiUy Hamill Uaw); 2. Tommy Hedden Uaw); 3. Gary Ackroyd (Wes); 4. Charlie Venegas Oaw). CONS~ I. Jim Sisemore Uaw); 2. Robert Curry (G